Astute Class Submarines

ContentsWorn with pride 1Imagine the most hostile environment on Earth 2Delivering and supporting the product 3Customer satisfaction 4All the right ingredients… just add water 6Striving for high performance and aiming to be the best 8We don’t just build ships… we build navies 10Come and see us 12

BAE Systems Innovating for a safer world

About BAE SYSTEMSBAE Systems is an internationalcompany engaged in the development,delivery and support of advanceddefence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. The company designs,manufacturesand supports military aircraft,surfaceships, submarines, fighting vehicles,radar,avionics, communications,electronics and guided weapon systems.It is a pioneer in technology with aheritage stretching back hundreds ofyears. It is at the forefront of innovation,working to develop the next generationof intelligent defence systems.

BAE Systems has major operationsacross five continents and customersin some 130 countries. The companyhas more than 90,000 people andgenerates annual sales of approximately£12 billion through its wholly-owned and joint venture operations.

‘"....in sea affairs nothing is impossible’Vice Admiral Lord Nelson

BAE Systems Astute Class Submarines 1

Worn with prideSynonymous with ships and submarines,the shipyard has connections that go far beyond the call of the sea.

It was at Barrow that the world famous steamlocomotive Flying Scotsman was given a newboiler and where the major anchor points for theworld’s longest suspension bridge were built; sowas brake testing gear for Concorde andadvanced test facilities for the UK’s most potentair defence platform,Eurofighter Typhoon.

Generations of local people have helped ensurethat the Built at Barrow label is one that is wornwith pride in every dimension - on the land,onand under the sea and in the air.

Did you know that Barrow built- The first 100,000 deadweight ton supertanker- The first all electric propulsion capital ship forthe Royal Navy

- The very first submarine for the Royal Navy- The four Vanguard Class submarines that carrythe UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent

- Every Royal Navy submarine currently in service- Nearly every first of class capital ship since 1945

The biggest 'first' of all - the next generationnuclear powered submarine for the 21st century.

‘Built at Barrow’ – three words with a resonance across the globe. Because anything built at Barrow is part of a unique lineage that stretches back over a century and represents thevery best in engineering innovation.

Vanguard Class

2 Imagine the most hostile environment on Earth

Of course,operating in such an unforgiving placecalls for some remarkable engineering solutions.Especially when the submariners are entrustedwith the ultimate safety and security of our territory.

Nuclear submarines (SSN) and Strategic BallisticNuclear submarines (SSBN) represent the mostpowerful warships in the world and are the mostcomplex vehicles devised by man,patrolling theoceans 24 hours a day,365 days a year andcontributing to national and global peace andsecurity. Their stealth and endurance,speed andflexibility gives them unparalleled freedom tooperate worldwide.

Designed and built away from the public eye,andthen operated in some of the most remote placesknown to man,submarines are by their very naturea hidden asset when it comes to national defence.

But we should take every opportunity we can tocelebrate technology and innovation of this calibre.

A new generationThe Astute Class submarine,designed and builtby BAE Systems, is a next generation nuclearpowered submarine that will be the largest andmost able attack submarine that the Royal Navyhas operated,with a performance to rival any inthe world.

Astute is a potent and invisible threat,a stealthyprotector of our territorial waters and in the depthsof the open oceans.

Why Astute?The 1998 Strategic Defence Review reaffirmed theUK’s need for submarines – but with increasinglyflexible capabilities.

Astute’s role as an undersea hunter-killer relieson her being stealthier than her underwaterenvironment. Astute will undertake a range of tasksincluding intelligence gathering,Special Forcesand anti-submarine warfare. Designed to operatein isolation or as part of a joint military task forcewith other naval vessels,aircraft and land forces,Astute’s challenge is to remain undetected,

thousands of miles from home and hundreds of metres underwater while still being able tocommunicate securely and effectively with alliedforces via satellite.

Astute has greater weapons capability, improvedcommunications facilities and enhanced capabilityto operate in the littoral in comparison with theexisting Swiftsure and Trafalgar (S&T) Class inservice at present.

A powerful threat to enemy ships and submarines,Astute also has formidable firepower against landtargets. Armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles shecan strike at targets up to 2,000km from the coastwith pin-point accuracy.

It’s no wonder that Astute will become the UK’smost capable military asset and weapon ofchoice in the 21st century – the latest in a longline of boats for that ‘most silent service’.

Did you know?Astute has a million individual components and10,000 separate design and engineeringrequirements.

Imagine the most hostile environment on EarthThe crushing black cold of the deepest ocean. For man in the exploration of his home planet, the seasstill represent the final frontier and in many ways a journey into the depths is more challenging than a voyage into space.

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Delivering and supporting the product

The £2 billion Astute Prime Contract is for three next generation submarines to replacethe Swiftsure Class.

The Prime Contract is the first in the UK for a capitalwarship. This ‘total systems’ approach has madethe incentives for industry much stronger and givesBAE Systems much broader boundaries forinnovative design. There have been opportunitiesto give even greater focus to through-life supportin line with the MoD’s Smart Acquisition Policy.

As a company,BAE Systems has considerableexperience and expertise in providing on-goingsupport to its customers.

BAE Systems believes there is potential for aflotilla of these submarines and further contractsmay be awarded,provided targets for cost anddelivery are achieved.

Customer satisfaction has never been so importantAbout BAE SYSTEMS:- An international company with annual sales of £12 billion

- Develops,manufactures and supports advancedmilitary aircraft, ships,submarines and armedvehicles,plus weapon and control systems.

- A proven track record of complex systemsintegration.

- Benefits from over 130 years of shipbuildingexperience.

- A global workforce of over 90,000,meeting therequirements of customers in 130 countries.

Did you know? Barrow-built HMS Dreadnought,was Britain’s firstnuclear powered submarine and the first to surfacethrough the ice of the North Pole.

Devonshire Dock Hall Astute fore end construction

4 Customer satisfaction

Customer satisfactionWhat is promised must be deliveredThe UK Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy demandsmore than a ‘best in class’ – in Astute,they seek topush the boundaries of nuclear submarine technologyand capability to new extremes,and only by focusingcompletely on the customer’s mission requirementscan BAE Systems and the Astute team make it theone of the most powerful weapons in the water,withremarkable mission flexibility.

Astute is designed to be fast and stealthy,and in linewith customer expectation will play a role in joint andautonomous operations. Fitted with the now provenSonar 2076 (through the Swiftsure and Trafalgarupdate programme) Astute can operate and projectpower without leaving a trace – denying the enemyvital knowledge.

Mission accomplishedAstute may have posed some significantchallenges,but our ability to meet customerrequirements was demonstrated in the recentcontract to refurbish Upholder Class submarinesfor sale to the Canadian Navy.

This work has been accomplished on time and tobudget and the programme has demonstrated thecompany’s ability to work closely with its customerand with stakeholders such as the UK Ministry of Defence.

What has been learnt from Upholder,together with the drive and commitment to deliver,will be applied to other programmes,and what has been achieved illustrates clearly just whatthe team is capable of.

Astute may be on a different scale – but this track record of technical excellencecoupled with a new sense of customer focus,stands us in good stead.

In more ways than one,Astute is breaking new ground…

BAE Systems Astute Class Submarines 5

Upholder Class Submarine

6 All the right ingredients

All the right ingredients…It takes a very special team to produce a first ofclass submarine – and the Astute team extendsfar beyond the Barrow shipyard to the widerBAE Systems and out into the chain of suppliers.

You need a careful blend of experience andenthusiasm to push back engineeringboundaries and come up with the right solution.That’s why graduates and apprentices are workingalongside some of the country’s most experiencedspecialist engineers in disciplines as diverse asnuclear engineering,hydrodynamics,mechanicalengineering and human factors.

It adds up to a winning formula…

But more than that, the level of expertise on theAstute programme adds up to a national asset.We have 770 of the UK’s best engineers, from alldisciplines,working on Astute,and through thelife of the programme we will welcome moreyoung people into the team.

Programmes such as Astute are vital tomaintaining the UK’s skill base and attractingyoung people to engineering and technical careers.We’re not just building an amazing product – we’rebuilding the skills that contribute directly to thestrength of the UK economy.

The depth and breadth of our talent is vital,because modular construction and concurrentengineering techniques have changed the wayengineers and technicians have traditionally workedand call for new project management and riskassessment skills.

A different wayAstute has been designed using state-of-the-artthree-dimensional computer modelling tools.Modular build techniques are being used onAstute and are bringing benefits in terms of buildtime and cost.

Construction is carried out in the Devonshire DockHall at Barrow,where all major pressure hull andmodular elements are brought together forinstallation and integration.

Work actually started on building Astute’s massivepressure hull long before the system designs werecomplete. We have demonstrated concurrentengineering at its best in order to manage risk.The design is progressively released to production,so the possibility of major (and expensive) changefurther down the line is minimised.

In all this, teamwork is vital. Operating integrateddesign teams means better communication,betterunderstanding and improved focus on the key issues.

Investment in training has been important,but sohas the willingness of the team to adapt and adoptnew methodologies with enthusiasm and vigour.Everyone has something to contribute; andeveryone has something to learn. That’s why thebusiness actively supports Lifelong Learning andInvestment in People and builds partnershipswith local colleges to help develop our peoples’skills for the future.

Did you know?The first three Astute Class submarines will benamed Astute,Ambush and Artful. Their operationalbase port will be Faslane on the River Clyde.

‘ I have just completed anappreticehip at Barrow Barrowand I can’t imagine a bigger orbetter programme to be involvedin than Astute.The engineeringchallenges are huge,but I’mlearning so much from the peoplearound me.Everyone takes realpride in the product…’

Liz Allan,electrical technician.

‘Astute is an amazing vessel –walking through the DevonshireDock Hall and seeing the scale ofthe hull close up really takes yourbreath away…’

Stuart Managh,design engineer

BAE Systems Astute Class Submarines 7

…just add waterAstute design and buildYou might just add water to the finished product,but the design and build of any surface ship orsubmarine takes months and years of detailedplanning,design, fabrication and testing to proveperformance and safety.

The number of engineering disciplines involved in nuclear submarine design is staggering,andeach one is interdependent and tightly packagedin a platform operating in an environment everybit as challenging as outer space.

Nuclear power generation,high pressure steam,electrical and fluid power and significant ordnancemust all operate in a sealed environment subjectto extreme external pressure. Add to all that theneed to accommodate 98 officers and men incomfort for months at a time,and the scale ofthe task becomes clear.

How is it done?Astute is one of the first nuclear submarines tobe designed entirely in a three-dimensionalcomputer-aided environment and breaks awayfrom the principle that submarine performanceshould be optimised by designing the smallestboat possible with little regard to cost.

The specialist engineers working on the designof Astute are undertaking complex engineeringactivities such as:

- Nuclear engineering: Providing safety andperformance improvements to a state of the artPressurised Water Reactor that is fuelled for life.

- Systems engineering: Integrating the thousandsof sub-systems that add up to 100km of cabling,10km of pipework and over 5 million lines ofsoftware code – and managing the supply chain,which consists of over 30 main suppliers.

- Marine and mechanical engineering: Providingsolutions for the propulsive power train,auxiliarysystems and life support. Astute has to be quiet,vibration free and robust enough to withstand anearby underwater explosion.

- Hydrodynamics and control engineering:The designof the submarine hull, hydroplanes and controlsystems to provide control of depth and goodmanoeuvrability. The submarine is literally ‘flown’underwater.

- Human factors: Ensuring that every system issafely operable and maintainable in all conditionsby a relatively small complement compared withprevious nuclear powered submarines.

The programme relies heavily on the power ofcomputer aided design and ‘virtual prototyping’because with a project as complex as Astutethere is no time or budget to produce an actualprototype submarine. Instead, ‘virtual’ prototypingis relied upon,harnessing the power of computertest and visualisation,along with continuousdesign and systems analysis.

Over 1 million components are represented on thethree-dimensional CAD model which, togetherwith analysis and integration rigs, represent thecompleted vessel. The use of three dimensional

CAD enables the exchange of critical design dataacross the supply chain, taking an element of riskout of the programme and allowing change to beimplemented efficiently and effectively.

Astute poses some unique challenges: - Its power plant is arguably more complex than anuclear power station,with many more restrictionsplaced upon it and with 98 people living andworking in close proximity.

- Once deployed,Astute is designed not to requirerefuelling throughout her full service life – in excessof 25 years.

- Astute will spend her entire life immersed in seawater – a highly corrosive liquid.

- The pressure hull is a 97 metre long cylinder whichwhen submerged must withstand pressureequivalent to 400 family saloon cars weighingdown on every square metre of surface area.

- The spatial constraints are enormous. A nuclearsubmarine is typically three times more denselypacked with machinery and equipment than asurface ship.

Did you know?Barrow built major structures for the Lan Tau FixedCrossing – the world’s longest span suspensionbridge carrying road and rail traffic. It is 3.5kmlong and connects Hong Kong territories with theinternational airport of Chek Lap Kok. The mainspan of the bridge is 1.337km.

8 Performance

Striving for high performance…The submarine business is a key component ofBAE Systems’ naval activities. With Barrowdesignated as a submarine centre of excellence,the business has its eyes set firmly on the future,but it also honours the past and the proudpedigree that comes from 100 years of supplyingthe finest products to the finest naval fighting force.

A century of success1901: Holland I, the Royal Navy’s first submarine,fitted with a single torpedo tube, is launched atBarrow shipyard.

1914-1918: The Royal Navy enters the Great Warwith 79 submarines and 31 in-build.

1918-1936: Consolidation for the submarineservice as overseas squadrons are establishedto maintain a British presence across the globe.

1939-1945: The Royal Navy enters World War IIwith 100 submarines,which fight with distinction,but at tremendous sacrifice in terms of lives lost.

1960: HMS Dreadnought,built at Barrow,startsthe line of British nuclear powered submarinesthat go on to play a pivotal role in the Cold War.

1966: Britain’s first Polaris-armed ballistic nuclearsubmarine enters service.

1982: Royal Navy submarines,notably HMSConqueror,play a vital role in the Falklands conflict.

1991: End of the Cold War – the role of the SSN changes.

1991-1999: SSNs of the Royal Navy maintain avigil for peace. Deployments in the Balkans andthe Gulf demonstrate the value of their role insupporting conventional forces.

1999: HMS Vengeance enters service,completingthe Vanguard Class of four Trident-armed StrategicNuclear deterrent submarines that protect the UK.

2001: Astute, the UK’s largest and most powerfulattack submarine, is laid down at Barrow.

2003: Keel laying of Ambush – the second AstuteClass submarine on order.

1901: Holland Class

1986: Upholder Class 1992: Vanguard Class

1912: ‘E’ Class 1944: ‘A’ Class 1956: Porpoise Class

BAE Systems Astute Class Submarines 9

…and aiming to be the best

1959: Oberon Class 1960: Dreadnought 1966: Resolution Class 1981: Trafalgar Class

10 We don’t just build ships

We don’t just build ships…Enduring partnershipOur relationship with the Royal Navy is uniqueand enduring – we have built nearly every RoyalNavy first of class capital ship since 1945.

Astute will provide the Royal Navy with theincreased and enhanced flexible capabilitydemanded by the need to support diverse,global missions within ever more network-centricwarfare scenarios.

It’s a formidable weapon. Astute can carry a mixof up to 38 Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes andTomahawk cruise missiles – that’s 50 per centmore than existing Trafalgar class submarines –and Astute’s speed means that she can travelgreat distances in a single deployment. She cantravel between Arctic and tropical waters unseenand without the need to return to base,changingoperational roles easily and efficiently.

The Astute Prime Contract also includes theweapons upgrades of boats in the previousSwiftsure and Trafalgar classes of submarines,also built at Barrow,and this work is currentlybeing managed by BAE Systems at Weymouth.

This flexibility is vital: the role of the Royal Navy,and the demands placed upon it in bothpeacetime and war,are constantly changing.

Surface shipsBarrow’s long relationship with the Royal Navyincludes an impressive array of innovations andtechnical firsts.

For example The Landing Platform Dock ‘Albion’,built at Barrow,was the first warship in the RoyalNavy to have fully integrated electric propulsion.The benefits have been enormous, from a 30%reduction in through-life costs to improved low speedperformance,improved access and faster offloading.

Two ‘Wave Class’ Auxiliary Oilers have also recentlybeen delivered to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. AuxiliaryOilers are designed to replenish ships of the RoyalNavy fleet and NATO at sea with oil, aviation fueland stores.

The Wave Class is environmentally friendly,with adouble hull to prevent pollution should the outerhull sustain damage. The hull was built as unitscombined into 12 blocks in the coveredDevonshire Dock Hall (DDH) before transit to thesuperberth and subsequent dynamic launching.

At over 12,500 tonnes unladen,Wave Knight wasthe largest and heaviest vessel launched at Barrowsince the aircraft carrier Invincible 23 years earlier.

Did you know?

Submarines are traditionally referred to as boats – an affectionate reminder of the earlysubmariners who risked their lives in woodenboats covered in greased leather and rowed byoars, to prove the concept of underwater travel.

Landing Platform Dock

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…we build navies

Auxiliary Oiler

12 Where to find us

Come and see usWith Barrow designated a submarines centre of excellence, it is supported by the Astute teamand the Swiftsure/Trafalgar Class update teamsat Farnborough and Weymouth,and theAstute/Swiftsure/Trafalgar Class integrationfacilities at Ash Vale.

BAE Systems:Ash ValeBarrowDerbyFarnboroughFiltonWeymouth

The success of Astute depends upon a numberof strategic suppliers to the programme,chosenfor their experience and skills. Major suppliersinclude: Alstom,AMS,Rolls Royce,Strachan &Henshaw and Thales UK.

Strength in the communityWhat would the business be without the strengthand loyalty of the local communities around oursites? The people close to our shipyard and toour technical centres play a vital role in thebusiness and in turn we are, in many cases at the heart of local economies.

There is tremendous pride in the products thatare produced by the Submarines Business andan understanding of their strategic importance,not just in the local community and in the UK,but in the global arena too.

It’s natural that a coastal community such asBarrow should look to the sea for its economicprosperity. Some Barrow families have seenthree or four generations work in the shipyard,and the company takes very seriously itsresponsibility as an employer with such a longand illustrious history.

Local people are our mainstay in terms of skillsand support. Our communities share our history– the highs and the lows – and are a vitalcomponent of our future.

Did you know?The Oriana, the largest passenger liner built inEngland had a crew of 900 and carried 2,184passengers. She was launched at Barrow in1959 and is now a floating theme park,museumand banqueting hall in the Chinese port of Dalian.

A nationwide network of sites and suppliers is supporting the Astute contract.

Barrow-in-Furness

Farnborough

Ash Vale

13

Fascinating facts- Barrow shipyard founded in 1871 as the Iron Shipbuilding Company

- James Ramsden, founder and first Managing Director ofBarrow Shipyard,was knighted by Queen Victoria

- Barrow’s first submarine Abdul Hamid,built for the Ottoman(Turkish) Navy in 1886

- Vickers family steel business bought Barrow shipyard in 1897– and owned it until nationalisation 80 years later

- Since its foundation in 1901,the Royal Navy’s submarine servicehas operated 575 submarines –309 were built at Barrow

- Barrow has built 26 submarines for export and refurbishedanother four

- Barrow-built submarines have been operated by 17 naviesaround the globe

- Ten members of the British Royal Family have named andlaunched ships or submarines at Barrow,starting withPrincess Louise in 1903

- Barrow built submarine HMS Thorough, launched in 1943,was the first British submarine to circumnavigate the globe

- HMS Ajax, the ship that found fame at the Battle of the RiverPlate,was built in Barrow

- Barrow built the famous X-Craft midget submarines thatsuccessfully disabled the mighty battleship Tirpitz

- Launched in 1944, the Barrow-built HMS Tiptoe carried a pairof red ballet shoes worn by Hollywood actress Norma Shearerin the film ‘The Red Shoes’. Tiptoe also starred in the film ‘WeDive at Dawn’.

- The passenger liner Orsova,built at Barrow in 1953,was theworld’s first mastless cruise liner.

- Between 1986 and 1999 Barrow built the four Vanguard Classsubmarines that carry the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent –Trident ballistic missiles.

- Astute Class submarine is 97m long and weighs 7,800 tonnes

- Astute Class submarine can patrol for up to 90 days

- Astute’s sonar suite has the processing power of 200,000laptop computers

- The Devonshire Dock Hall at Barrow was designed to hold fourvessel hulls simultaneously and two in build

- The ship lift at Barrow can raise or lower ships or submarinesweighing 23,400 tonnes

- Modular build was introduced at Barrow with HMS Triumph –last of the Trafalgar Class submarines and first to be builtentirely undercover in the Devonshire Dock Hall.

- Barrow holds the record for the heaviest load moved on aBritish road – the complete hull stern block of the AmphibiousAssault Ship Bulwark (2,832 tonnes) was moved from theconstruction hall to the superberth in 2000.

- Britain is one of only five nations in the world capable ofbuilding nuclear powered submarines.

- Barrow is the only designated nuclear submarine buildyard in the UK.

03.05.Submarines.005 3D images created by RealtimeUK

For more information contact:BAE SYSTEMS SubmarinesCommunications DepartmentBarrow-in-FurnessCumbriaLA14 1AFUnited KingdomTelephone +44 (0)1229 823366Fax +44 (0)1229 874000www.baesystems.com